We’re getting on nigh a full year since Fanatics outbid DraftKings to acquire PointsBet, but with the close on business in Illinois, Fanatics has at long last fully taken over PointsBet operations. Fanatics legal states have now hit a whopping 20, making it one of the more widely available sportsbooks in the U.S.
Fanatics, one of the biggest sports apparel suppliers in the United States, made the move into sports betting in the middle of 2023. The first step was a $150 million acquisition of PointsBet, an up-and-coming sportsbook at the time; however, DraftKings stepped in and made a $195 million bid to undercut Fanatics. Fanatics came back with a $225 million offer to close the deal and fend off the DFS and sports betting giant.
Fanatics has steadily been taking over PointsBet’s markets ever since, acquiring 10 or so legal states in the first few months and eventually building up to 17 states in 2024. The finalizing of business in Illinois makes it the 20th state to join Fanatic’s operations and, per Fanatics Betting and Gaming, gives the new operator access to about 95% of available sports betting residents in the United States.
By all accounts, Illinois residents will be able to maintain their PointsBet usernames and passwords to access Fanatics Sportsbook, as that has been the case in all other Fanatics legal states. Balances, rewards and settings should also transfer over to Fanatics.
Fanatics also was one of a couple handfuls of sportsbooks to launch with North Carolina sports betting on March 11, so it seems states are valuing the potential Fanatics can bring to the sportsbook marketplace.
Here is the full list of the Fanatics legal states as of now:
- Arizona
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- New Jersey
- New York
- North Carolina
- Ohio
- Pennsylvania
- Tennessee
- Vermont
- Virginia
- West Virginia
